1. Field of the Invention
This present invention relates to a simulated-globe display system, and more particularly, to an interactive simulated-globe display system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In schools, planetariums, museums and other education institutions, various sizes of earth or star globes are often used as teaching aids for formal or informal education teaching field. In recent years, as technologies progress, some inventors have attempted to project images, generated by earth simulation software or other star simulation software, onto screens as digital teaching auxiliary aids.
Current display system simulating earth or star globes by three-dimensional image projection technology will be described as follows. One prior art, such as disclosed in U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2006/0256302, utilizes multiple projectors disposed at different positions to synchronously project respective images in different orientations on a sphere. Each image projected by the corresponding projector represents an image of a specific region on the sphere, and all images on the sphere are pieced together into a complete surface projection image.
Another prior art uses a three-dimensional internal back projection way. The prior art projects coherent light rays from a coherent light source onto an inner surface of a three-dimensional projection surface. A compact image can thereby be formed and seen by a viewer from outside the properly constructed three-dimensional projection surface. The prior art can be practiced to show examples of things that can be represented on such a surface are celestial bodies and planets like the Earth or other stars. The prior art is described in details in U.S. Pat. No. 8,066,378.
Another prior art relates to a three-dimensional convex surface display system which has a display surface of a three-dimensional convex shape. The projection system in the display system projects a medium image to an object field through lens system onto a continuous image field located on the interior of the display surface to provide the image simulating star globes. The prior art is described in details in U.S. Pat. No. 7,352,340.
Another prior art relates to three-dimensional internal projection system which projects an image in optical scanning or projection ways onto an inner surface of a large three-dimensional object such that viewers from outside watch the image with stereoscopic imaging effect. The prior art is described in details in U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2009/0027622.
Due to complicated architecture and high cost, current display system simulating earth or star globes are unfavorable to employing simple equipment to implement. For example, current display system simulating earth or star globes cannot employ common computers and single rifle projectors in classrooms to implement. In addition, none of the prior arts provides viewers with function of control and interaction, and so viewers watch the static three-dimensional image generated by the prior arts and having imaging blind spot.